I am new to Tweeters and missed earlier discussion of vultures and farm
animals. I have a farm in the Snoqualmie Valley and this past Monday
one of our 3 pregnant heifers had a calf. I went to check on the calf
a couple hours after it was born and saw 4 turkey vultures circling low
over the pasture. The calf was with its mom but the cow was clearly
agitated. Then I noticed another 4 vultures on the ground about 100 feet
from the cow. Worried that another heifer had calved and run into
trouble, I walked out only to discover that the vultures were just
cleaning up the afterbirth, beating the coyotes to it. We have had
no vultures preying on our stock. Our neighbors, who have many more
cows, find that their 2 dogs usually keep the vultures in the air. I
am curious as to documentation of vultures preying on live farm
animals here in western Washington. I have heard many stories from
local farmers, but can't attest to the veracity. I have seen as many
as 17 vultures over or on my farm at one time. Pales in comparison to
the 59 that came to roost above our campsite in Bandelier (New Mexico)
about this time last spring.
Our resident Kestrels have taken up their usual posts. Our harrier pair
has been busy hunting in its usual haunts. And the many eagles that
were so much fun to watch this winter have moved on, except for the
two pair who seem to live in my part of the valley.
I am also seeing fewer violet greens so far this year. But it has been a
great spring for woodpeckers, especially pileated. Noisy critters.

Is anyone following a school project called The Journey North, which is
tracking arrival of several migratory birds using kids talking to each
other on the internet? Would be interested in sharing your experience of
dealing with the vast amount of communications that we have received and
are trying to process.

Janna Treisman, Fall City, WA <idmacrae at mcimail.com>